► This dissertation examines the current state of media relations practice and how textbooks and professors view teaching media relations from a dialogic perspective. Theoretical advances…
(more)

▼ This dissertation examines the current state of media relations practice and how textbooks and professors view teaching media relations from a dialogic perspective. Theoretical advances are suggested, as are new ways to address media relations in the classroom. This work shows that both publicrelations professors and journalism professors are attentive to media relations in the classroom. This work also suggests a different way to view media relations from a more relational perspective, and from a more interpersonal approach.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bryan Reber.

▼ Mortification is an image restoration and crisis response strategy proposed by publicrelations scholars William Benoit and W. Timothy Coombs. Many healthcare professionals avoid apology in malpractice situations, treating the event as a legal problem. However, an up-and-coming organization, SorryWorks! Coalition, sees medical malpractice instead as a customer service problem. SorryWorks! takes the traditional medical cultures inclination to defend and deny´ mistakes head on, and is an advocate for appropriate disclosure, apology, and compensation in medical crisis, similar to Benoits and Coombs concept of mortification. This study analyzes the strategies recommended by SorryWorks! Coalition in context of Coombs crisis response strategy based on Attribution Theory and Benoits Image Restoration Theory. It also compares publicrelations strategies SorryWorks! Coalition is advocating with strategies the organization actually uses to get its points across. Results of this study suggest the possibility of additional strategies that would enhance Benoits and Coombs proposed frameworks.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jeff Springston.

► One of the ongoing challenges facing publicrelations practitioners and scholars is measuring and validating the communications value of publicrelations activities over advertising or…
(more)

▼ One of the ongoing challenges facing publicrelations practitioners and scholars is measuring and validating the communications value of publicrelations activities over advertising or other controlled communications. This study investigated one commonly mentioned advantage of publicrelations, the implied third-party endorsement effect of news coverage, in the context of business-related news conveyed to a business audience.
Qualitative research included interviews with 10 publicrelations practitioners and 10 business people on their beliefs and attitudes toward media, the implied third-party endorsement effect, and the use of media in their work. The quantitative research involved an experiment with 514 subjects, who were exposed to one of 14 treatments reflecting seven different types of independent or controlled media channels and quoting either an independent or company spokesperson. The independent media channels included newspaper article online, independent research article online with spokesperson photograph, independent research article without
spokesperson photograph, and financial message board posting. The company-controlled media channels included a press release posted on a company Web site, advertorial online, and a customer testimonial posted on company message board, quoting either an independent or company-controlled spokesperson.
The experiment tested research hypotheses predicting the effects of media channel, spokesperson, and media channel and spokesperson in combination on dependent variable measures related to media credibility and spokesperson credibility, attitude toward a company and product, and behavioral intention (purchase intent for a company’s stock and product). A covariate, business expertise, was also used to explore possible effects. Findings of the experiment showed limited support for the presence and positive impact of the implied third-party endorsement effect. Only the press release on a company Web site was viewed as significantly less credible than any other media channel used in the study. In general, those with a low-level of business expertise found media and spokespersons as more credible than those with a high-level of business expertise.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lynne Sallot.

Howes PA. Implied third-party endorsement and source credibility in public relations: investigating the multiplier effect and editorial, advertising and online media equivalencies in business communication. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Georgia; 2010. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/howes_pauline_a_201005_phd

► As multinational corporations expand and their power in the international system grows, they increasingly face consumer expectations and pressures to expand their corporate social responsibility…
(more)

▼ As multinational corporations expand and their power in the international system grows, they increasingly face consumer expectations and pressures to expand their corporate social responsibility platforms. This mixed methods research combines a textual analysis, in-depth interviews, and a global experiment to address the complex issue of multinational corporate responsibility communication. Drawing on Representation Theory and Organization-Public Relationship Theory, this research addresses the cross-cultural communication from the corporate message-creation and consumer message-response angles.
A textual analysis of corporate sustainability documents from The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, and The Walt Disney Company identified particular brand-related representations and varying levels of stakeholder engagement. Interviews with communicators in The Coca-Cola Company and UPS suggested extensive collaboration within and between multinational corporations on issues of sustainability but a lack of strategic consumer engagement or branding efforts. Finally, an experiment with a global consumer sample found significant differences in expectations of corporate responsibility and response to organization-public relationships based on consumers’ region of residence, specifically Asia, Latin America, United States and Western Europe.
The conclusions speak to the complex process of corporate development and consumer response to sustainability messages and have practical and theoretical implications. Practically, these findings can guide corporate development and targeted messaging to specific global regions. Theoretically, the results expand Representation and Organization-Public Relationship Theories and suggest the development of Corporate Sustainability Relationship Management (CSRM) Theory, a niche theory for organization-public relationships specifically applicable to corporate responsibility or sustainability programs. This perspective evaluates sustainability-based relationships on dimensions of community, exchange relationship, and self-interest.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bryan Reber.

Reeves CH. The sustainability story: a mixed methods study of social responsibility communication in multinational corporations. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Georgia; 2016. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/reeves_catherine_h_201605_phd

► This study is a replication and extension of the Influence Interviews conducted by Berger and Reber. Their study, conducted in 2004, interviewed 65 publicrelations…
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▼ This study is a replication and extension of the Influence Interviews conducted by Berger and Reber. Their study, conducted in 2004, interviewed 65 publicrelations professionals to examine how practitioners defined influence. The current study examined how publicrelations practitioners at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) define influence within the practice. Analysis of interviews with twenty-five practitioners, representing roughly one-fourth of all HBCUs today, found that practitioners at HBCUs define influence in many of the same ways as their counterparts in other areas of publicrelations. More often than not, practitioners deemed influence as having a seat at the decision-making table, which essentially represents an opportunity for one’s voice to be heard and recommendations to be taken into consideration. Other important factors mentioned, but the most consistent response was having direct access to the president and upper levels of administration.
Advisors/Committee Members: Karen Russell.

Publicrelations is important to organizations, and for Corporate Social Responsibility programs in particular. Corporate social responsibility is…
(more)

▼

M.A. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2011.

Publicrelations is important to organizations, and for Corporate Social Responsibility programs in particular. Corporate social responsibility is one of many management strategies that benefit society. This research explored organizations that employ CSR projects in their business strategies. Extensive interviews were conducted with 16 organizations in Thailand, involving CSR practitioners/publicrelations practitioners, who work and have experience in CSR projects.
The results indicate that publicrelations is important for CSR effectiveness, and leads to positive outcomes for an organization. Participants agreed on how publicrelations can help communicate to publics about different CSR projects in an organization, create awareness, positive image, and good understanding about the company. Publicrelations also helps to indirectly provide positive benefits to help support the business. Publicrelations strategies involving two-way communication can help CSR programs become more effective. The findings support the literature review that two-way communication helps organizations identify the right needs of society. Identifying these needs of society also helps the organizations create an effective CSR programs. The evaluation stage is another key factor that helps design successful CSR projects and create positive CSR outcomes.

Pasvekin, O. (2016). The impact of public relations on corporate social responsibility in large Thai businesses. (Thesis). University of Hawaii – Manoa. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10125/101393

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Pasvekin, Opaporn. “The impact of public relations on corporate social responsibility in large Thai businesses.” 2016. Thesis, University of Hawaii – Manoa. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://hdl.handle.net/10125/101393.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Pasvekin, Opaporn. “The impact of public relations on corporate social responsibility in large Thai businesses.” 2016. Web. 07 Jun 2020.

Vancouver:

Pasvekin O. The impact of public relations on corporate social responsibility in large Thai businesses. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Hawaii – Manoa; 2016. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/101393.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Pasvekin O. The impact of public relations on corporate social responsibility in large Thai businesses. [Thesis]. University of Hawaii – Manoa; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/101393

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

7.
Schilihab, Brett.
Rebuilding the Damaged Relationship Between
Law Enforcement and The Minority Community.

► Tensions between law enforcement and the minority community are at an all-time high. This has become one of the major problems law enforcement has encountered…
(more)

▼ Tensions between law enforcement and the minority community are at an all-time high. This has become one of the major problems law enforcement has encountered in the past and is still a major problem to this day. Mann (1998) stated that one of the biggest problems facing law enforcement since its inception is conflict between the minority community and the police (as cited by Conti & Doreian, 2014). Twenty-four-hour news channels and social media are now helping keep a spotlight on events involving law enforcement. Recent events between police and the minority community have started protests and riots, and as the minority population grows, this problem will continue, as the minority population becomes the majority. Law enforcement should take measures to ease tensions between police and the minority community.
Lack of trust between law enforcement and the minority community is causing police officers to lose their lives. Some people do not trust the police and perceive them as murderers of the minority community. Some of those people who do not trust law enforcement have started attacking and murdering police officers with no provocation and no warning. Police should become less transparent and improve perception to rebuild the trust. Law enforcement now has tools available, such as social media, to help spread their side of the story and interact with citizens.
The damaged relationship caused by racial tensions between police and the minority need to be rebuilt, and law enforcement must take the first step. Law enforcement must learn from the mistakes made in the past on its side and not repeat them. If law enforcement continues to work on this issue and come up with new ideas, it could save lives on both sides.
Advisors/Committee Members: LEMIT.

► Communication plays a vital role in the everyday lives of individuals, societies, organisations and the world at large. Without communication it would be very difficult…
(more)

▼ Communication plays a vital role in the everyday lives of individuals, societies,
organisations and the world at large. Without communication it would be very
difficult to understand each other and to carry out daily activities that make up
human life. Communication can come in many forms and shapes. Signs and
symbols were used by our ancestors to communicate long before sound and
speech technology was discovered (Mersham and Skinner, 1999).
Notwithstanding the importance of communication for any form of human
interaction, it is taken so much for granted. As pointed out by Mersham and
Skinner (1999: 2), "until someone misunderstands us and the
misunderstanding causes a problem, only then do we pause to think about
what went wrong." Macnamara (2006: 3) points out that communication is
complex even at family level, because often what we try to communicate to
those closest to us is not received the way we intended or meant. This shows
that communication is beyond talking and far more complex than it seems. In
an organisational setting it is even more complex because the organisation is
made up of different units or departments with different responsibilities, all
working towards the attainment of the same organisational goals and
objectives.

Agang, L. P. (2009). The investigation of the contribution of public relations to an agricultural institution in Botswana
. (Thesis). Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Retrieved from http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1427

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Agang, Lesego Patricia. “The investigation of the contribution of public relations to an agricultural institution in Botswana
.” 2009. Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1427.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Agang, Lesego Patricia. “The investigation of the contribution of public relations to an agricultural institution in Botswana
.” 2009. Web. 07 Jun 2020.

Vancouver:

Agang LP. The investigation of the contribution of public relations to an agricultural institution in Botswana
. [Internet] [Thesis]. Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2009. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1427.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Agang LP. The investigation of the contribution of public relations to an agricultural institution in Botswana
. [Thesis]. Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2009. Available from: http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1427

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Georgia

9.
Pettigrew, Justin Evans.
The new dynamic of corporate media relations: engaging the press through dialogic components of World Wide Web sites.

► This thesis examines the use of dialogic components of Fortune 500 Company Web site press rooms. Using a twofold approach, print journalists were interviewed to…
(more)

▼ This thesis examines the use of dialogic components of Fortune 500 Company Web site press rooms. Using a twofold approach, print journalists were interviewed to determine what components of online press rooms they found most valuable and desirable. A content analysis was then conducted of all Fortune 500 Company press sites to examine what content they were providing. Results showed that corporations have substantially increased their presence on the Web for press from previous research, and that dialogic components on the Web are in line with what journalists use. This study also suggests that operationalized elements of dialogic theory as it applies to the Web should be continually revisited as technology develops.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bryan H. Reber.

Pettigrew, J. E. (2008). The new dynamic of corporate media relations: engaging the press through dialogic components of World Wide Web sites. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/pettigrew_justin_e_200805_ma

Pettigrew JE. The new dynamic of corporate media relations: engaging the press through dialogic components of World Wide Web sites. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2008. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/pettigrew_justin_e_200805_ma

► Excellence theory is perhaps the most critical and dominant paradigm in the discussion and understanding of publicrelations theory and practice. Unfortunately, this dominance appears…
(more)

▼ Excellence theory is perhaps the most critical and dominant paradigm in the discussion and understanding of publicrelations theory and practice. Unfortunately, this dominance appears to have been achieved in the face of serious theoretical problems of validity, reliability, efficacy, and ethicality – as well as numerous others. Though several scholars have critiqued excellence theory in the past, a meaningful synthesis of these disjointed criticisms has not yet been produced. Along with providing a much needed summary of excellence theory‟s evolution and major tenets – in addition to a summary view of the alternative contingency theory – the integration of these past criticisms of excellence theory as well as the introduction of new critical analyses comprise the major goals and contents of this thesis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bryan Reber.

► This thesis examines the ways in which publicrelations students differ from other journalism and mass communication students. Results suggest that, compared with other journalism…
(more)

▼ This thesis examines the ways in which publicrelations students differ from other journalism and mass communication students. Results suggest that, compared with other journalism and mass communication students, publicrelations majors choose to study communication for different reasons, exhibit different personality types, value different work rewards, have different goals and make different job choices after graduations. These differences were not related to gender, except that men are more likely than women to go into communication because of an interest in sports. These findings may help administrators attract students who would not otherwise consider communication as a major.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lee Becker.

Simpson, H. A. (2014). Students of public relations: motivations and career aspirations. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/simpson_holly_a_201408_ma

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Simpson, Holly Anne. “Students of public relations: motivations and career aspirations.” 2014. Masters Thesis, University of Georgia. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/simpson_holly_a_201408_ma.

Simpson HA. Students of public relations: motivations and career aspirations. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Georgia; 2014. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/simpson_holly_a_201408_ma.

Council of Science Editors:

Simpson HA. Students of public relations: motivations and career aspirations. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2014. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/simpson_holly_a_201408_ma

► This thesis aims to advance knowledge about internal communication and organisational engagement. It incorporates the application of a new research instrument, the Internal Communication and…
(more)

▼ This thesis aims to advance knowledge about internal communication and organisational engagement. It incorporates the application of a new research instrument, the Internal Communication and Organisational Engagement Questionnaire (ICOEQ) developed by Welch (2011a). The ICOEQ investigates employee interest in different topics, helpfulness of communication methods used, ratings for senior manager and line manager communication, satisfaction with employee voice and the associations with organisational engagement. Despite the importance of internal communication, existing research methods are limited as they do not adequately distinguish between different dimensions of internal communication as established by Welch and Jackson (2007, p.184) and they fail to make an association with organisational engagement. The ICOEQ therefore provides a new research perspective for academic researchers and communication managers. The conceptual analysis builds on Welch and Jackson’s (2007, p.185) internal communication matrix. It synthesises corporate communication and employee voice into a new concept, informed employee voice, to reflect the importance of keeping employees informed and giving them a voice that is treated seriously. The empirical work adopts a critical realism approach. A cross-sectional research design was used. The ICOEQ was administered at five organisations followed by interviews and focus groups. Quantitative data analysis suggests that internal communication is more strongly correlated with emotional organisational engagement than with cognitive or behavioural organisational engagement. Ratings of senior manager communication and line manager communication and satisfaction with employee voice are positively associated with organisational engagement. Standard multiple regression analysis indicates that informed employee voice is a significant predictor of organisational engagement. Template analysis of qualitative data indicates that many senior managers are not visible or approachable and they do not listen to what employees have to say. New themes that emerge include more informal and small group communication with senior managers, a greater focus on the local context of internal corporate communication from line managers and more emphasis on listening and responding to employee voice. Possible explanations for the findings include a focus on shareholder value and the consequential neglect of employee value and the marginalisation of internal communication in academia and practice. Theoretical implications include the adoption of employee voice more fully into internal corporate communication theory, the addition of familiarity as an attribute of internal communication media and the identification of three explanatory factors for the exercise of internal ‘power over – dominance’. Above all, the thesis establishes informed employee voice as an antecedent to organisational engagement. The implications for practice include the establishment of the ICOEQ as a useful measurement tool and the requirement for…

► This paper, using a political economic approach, explores the communication techniques used during a second-wave of consolidation in the dairy industry in the 1980s.…
(more)

▼ This paper, using a political economic approach, explores the communication techniques used during a second-wave of consolidation in the dairy industry in the 1980s. After providing a historical context of the dairy industry and its connections with federal policy, this paper follows the story of a large dairy cooperative: Association Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) and how it influenced public policy and consumption through interconnected dairy organizations like the National Milk Producers Federation and by using a political action committee. This paper provides an example of Carey's (1997) treetops propaganda by way of the powerful political action committee C-TAPE and the AMPI women. The government influence in regulating the production and consumption of dairy dispels the myth of the free market.
Advisors/Committee Members: Molly Niesen.

► There has not been a single study on the practice of publicrelations in Kenya despite the country attracting multinational corporations that are increasingly using…
(more)

▼ There has not been a single study on the practice of
publicrelations in Kenya despite the country attracting
multinational corporations that are increasingly using publicrelations to build relationships with key publics. This pioneer
quantitative study explores the publicrelations models that inform
the practice of publicrelations in Kenya, the cultural values that
influence such practice and the correlation between the publicrelations models and cultural values. Results show that two
international models of publicrelations – personal influence and
cultural interpreter – are the most used by practitioners in Kenya,
while individualism and femininity are the most experienced
cultural values in that order. Results of the correlation between
the publicrelations models and cultural values show a strong
positive relationship between the personal influence model and the
femininity cultural value. This correlation points to the
practitioners’ strong desire for good interpersonal relationships
with colleagues, supervisors, clients and key
publics.
Advisors/Committee Members: Nadler, Dr. Marjorie (Committee Chair).

► This dissertation investigates the audience role in shaping corporate involvement in social issues - identified as cause-related corporate outreach. Drawing upon a cultural studies perspective,…
(more)

▼ This dissertation investigates the audience role in shaping corporate involvement in social issues - identified as cause-related corporate outreach. Drawing upon a cultural studies perspective, I assert that, more than consumer, voter, or passive receptor of corporate messages, the audience is an active participant in the communication process. Specifically, I examine the participant experience of the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. Grounded in a rhetorical theory of publicrelations, this study uses a variety of qualitative data-collection methods, including in-depth interviews, audio journals kept by walkers, participant observation, and post-walk focus groups to develop an audiencecentered understanding of the walk experience and draw implications for publicrelations research and practice.
Advisors/Committee Members: Peggy J. Kreshel.

► This intensive case study examines the online tools used by presidential candidates in the 2008 election through the lens of the dialogic theory of public…
(more)

▼ This intensive case study examines the online tools used by presidential candidates in the 2008 election through the lens of the dialogic theory of publicrelations. An in-depth content analysis of all tools candidates publicized on their official Web sites was conducted to determine whether dialogue or monologue was used to communicate online. The data suggest that while candidates used the Internet to communicate, they did not use all dialogic features available to communicate with target audiences. In addition, candidates used online tools as a publicrelations function for self-promotion, rather than a means for two-way communication with voters.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kaye D. Sweetser.

► The purpose of this study is to explore how publicrelations practitioners’ professionalism is associated with their attitudes towards corporate social responsibility. The quantitative on-line…
(more)

▼ The purpose of this study is to explore how publicrelations practitioners’ professionalism is associated with their attitudes towards corporate social responsibility. The quantitative on-line survey was completed by 289 respondents drawn from the national sample of PublicRelations Society of America (PRSA). The result revealed that practitioners with high professionalism have more positive attitudes towards corporate social responsibility. Additionally, practitioners’ longer permanence of job and larger PR department’s size affect their professionalism positively. Female practitioners have more positive attitudes towards corporate social responsibility than male practitioners, and older practitioners have more positive attitudes towards corporate social responsibility than younger practitioners. This study suggests ways for practitioners to improve their professionalism by focusing on their roles in giving an organization direction for being socially responsible.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bryan Reber.

Kim, S. (2006). How public relations professionalism influences corporate social responsibility: a survey of practitioners. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/kim_sooyeon_200608_ma

Kim S. How public relations professionalism influences corporate social responsibility: a survey of practitioners. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2006. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/kim_sooyeon_200608_ma

University of Georgia

18.
Zurita, Patricia Cecilia.
We are socially responsible: a framing analysis of corporate publicrelations and their corporate social responsibility messages.

► Framing, a resourceful tool in political communication and sociology, offers similar versatility in the realm of publicrelations. This study elaborates on the questions of…
(more)

▼ Framing, a resourceful tool in political communication and sociology, offers similar versatility in the realm of publicrelations. This study elaborates on the questions of what frames are utilized in corporate publicrelations when referring to corporate social responsibility efforts and how successful they are at bringing their perspectives to the news media and activists. The study uses framing as the methodology to analyze the coverage of Wal-Mart’s experimental or green stores opened in McKinney, Texas and Aurora, Colorado in 2005. The study compares the frames found in the publicrelations material published by Wal-Mart, the media coverage, and the activists or bloggers coverage. The frames of the news media and activists had more in common than the publicrelations frames.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jay Hamilton.

Zurita, P. C. (2006). We are socially responsible: a framing analysis of corporate public relations and their corporate social responsibility messages. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/zurita_patricia_c_200608_ma

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Zurita, Patricia Cecilia. “We are socially responsible: a framing analysis of corporate public relations and their corporate social responsibility messages.” 2006. Masters Thesis, University of Georgia. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/zurita_patricia_c_200608_ma.

Zurita PC. We are socially responsible: a framing analysis of corporate public relations and their corporate social responsibility messages. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Georgia; 2006. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/zurita_patricia_c_200608_ma.

Council of Science Editors:

Zurita PC. We are socially responsible: a framing analysis of corporate public relations and their corporate social responsibility messages. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2006. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/zurita_patricia_c_200608_ma

► Over the last 20 years, the feminization of publicrelations has affected the publicrelations field concerning the status of the profession, gender inequities, salary…
(more)

▼ Over the last 20 years, the feminization of publicrelations has affected the publicrelations field concerning the status of the profession, gender inequities, salary discrepancy, and organizational roles. This has re-directed publicrelations scholarship to include feminist theory, diversity, the glass ceiling phenomenon, and leadership. This qualitative study uses 11 in-depth interviews to explore women leaders’ views on the glass ceiling and other barriers for the advancement of women in publicrelations and corporate communications. Gender roles and stereotypes still clearly affect women’s role in the workforce. Because of the feminization of publicrelations, this field has a softer image and is not seen as a valuable or credible part within an organization. This causes a double glass ceiling to exist for women in publicrelations and corporate communications: their gender and career choice.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carolina Acosta-Alzuru.

► Investment in addressing structural stigma and discrimination against refugees in resource-poor urban areas is both needed, and possible. The large population of refugees residing…
(more)

▼ Investment in addressing structural stigma and discrimination against refugees in resource-poor urban areas is both needed, and possible. The large population of refugees residing in resource-poor urban areas is likely to grow, and tensions in a number of settings are now documented. Without interventions to adequately address such tensions, both the protection needs of refugee populations and the stability of hosting countries could be affected. Through qualitative analysis of an urban refugee dataset in Uganda, this dissertation identified community-level drivers of structural stigma and discrimination as safeguarding one’s body and property, defending status, and perpetuating exploitation. The designs of potentially successful programs to address these drivers were then identified though systematic review, and included one or more of the following: 1) the utilization of multiple intervention components; 2) direct information provision (e.g., lecture, role-play, other active engagement) or direct contact with stigmatized groups; 3) cooperative work between community members and stigmatized groups to better livelihoods; 4) popular opinion leaders who have authority to make change, and 5) traditional ceremonies valued by the communities for cleansing and healing. One such design involving an agricultural livelihood program in a resource-poor urban area of the Northeast United States was costed, utilizing a primarily bottom-up approach and a societal perspective in the collection of both financial and economic costs. The unit cost per participating family was significantly lower than government services that provide comparable nutritional support, but did not include components of working with the community to reduce stigma and discrimination. Thus, the studied program provided more services for a lower cost. In addition, it empowered stigmatized refugees to advocate for and support themselves, and engendered goodwill in the community by involving community members to work alongside refugee participants, improving upon a neglected piece of land, and providing fresh produce. Further research is needed to better measure the social and financial dividends of programs to address structural stigma and discrimination, particularly against urban refugees. Such research can only come in tandem with further investment, the imperative and potential of which are compellingly clear.

Jackson, C. Y. (2013). The Use of Rhetoric in Public Relations: Kenneth Burke's Theory of Identification and Consubstantiality. (Thesis). Kennesaw State University. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/556

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Jackson CY. The Use of Rhetoric in Public Relations: Kenneth Burke's Theory of Identification and Consubstantiality. [Internet] [Thesis]. Kennesaw State University; 2013. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/556.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Jackson CY. The Use of Rhetoric in Public Relations: Kenneth Burke's Theory of Identification and Consubstantiality. [Thesis]. Kennesaw State University; 2013. Available from: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd/556

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

► The National Labor Relations Act sets forth limited definitions of what it means to be an employer and an employee in the twentieth-century industrial…
(more)

▼ The National Labor Relations Act sets forth limited definitions of what it means to be an employer and an employee in the twentieth-century industrial economy, and bestows on the National Labor Relations Board the authority to classify employees and employers. The past half-century has witnessed the growth of triangular staffing arrangements such as franchises, independent contractors, temporary help services firms, and a service sector in which many contingent workers may not qualify as employees, leaving them unprotected by the Act. By examining Board decisions addressing joint-employer and independent contractor status since 1960, this paper has identified increased polarization—the tendency of Democratic and Republican Board members to vote in opposing, and often politicized directions—in Board decisions classifying employers and employees. The findings suggest that in determining worker eligibility for protection under the Act, the Board is more polarized than at any point in 50 years.

Moran, M. (2017). Joint-Employer Classification| NLRB Polarization in the Administration of Contingent Employee Labor Rights. (Thesis). State University of New York Empire State College. Retrieved from http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10607958

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Moran, Marcus. “Joint-Employer Classification| NLRB Polarization in the Administration of Contingent Employee Labor Rights.” 2017. Thesis, State University of New York Empire State College. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10607958.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Moran M. Joint-Employer Classification| NLRB Polarization in the Administration of Contingent Employee Labor Rights. [Internet] [Thesis]. State University of New York Empire State College; 2017. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10607958.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Moran M. Joint-Employer Classification| NLRB Polarization in the Administration of Contingent Employee Labor Rights. [Thesis]. State University of New York Empire State College; 2017. Available from: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10607958

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

► The purpose of this study was to explore the current status of the strategic publicrelations management in China. This study is the first…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to explore the current status of the strategic publicrelations management in China. This study is the first to apply the generic principles of excellent publicrelations in China. Surveys and in-depth interviews were used to address five research questions: (1) practitioners’ strategic publicrelations practice, (2) their relationship with the dominant coalition, (3) communication models in use, (4) proficiency in practicing the managerial and technical roles, and (5) the challenges facing publicrelations industry were explored as research questions. The study results suggested that publicrelations was hardly managed in a strategic manner in China. We found that publicrelations (1) was mostly involved in the technician role and not in organizational policy making, (2) was not a member of the dominant coalitions, did it have convenient reporting lines to senior management, and was considered less valuable than marketing and public affairs by senior management (3) the press agentry model was used the most prominently in China—in agreement with previous literature—whereas two-way symmetrical communications was not practiced frequently, and (5) that the current knowledge in how to manage seems insufficient and the profession may benefit from professional training and formal education.
Advisors/Committee Members: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Stacey Connaughton, John O. Greene.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters Degree of Technology: PublicRelations Management, 2010.

Publicrelations is an important subsystem of an…
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Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters Degree of Technology: PublicRelations Management, 2010.

Publicrelations is an important subsystem of an organisation and the effective practice of publicrelations is integrally bound to the health of an organisation. As such, it provides the avenue for the organisation to effectively monitor, interact and react with other key groups within the organisational environment.
According to Naidoo (2007:3), “publicrelations has been described as synonymous to marketing. The function of publicrelations is becoming more confusing as initial scanning of the environment has revealed that certain organisations within the greater Durban area have merged publicrelations with other departments such as marketing”. Whilst some organisations may view publicrelations as a separate entity as opposed to marketing, others see these two functions as falling under a common umbrella. It is, therefore, evident that the boundaries between publicrelations and marketing are very blurred. Many organisations do not show the publicrelations office as an independent role. Since so many factors influence how publicrelations begins in organisations, publicrelations departments, in some organisations, have large numbers of staff and generous budgets even though the original motivations for their functions have long been forgotten and their mission is not clearly defined. Conversely, many, if not most, organisations reorganise the publicrelations functions, reduce the number of staff and try to do more with fewer people. Even practitioners disagree about what is the best structure and place for their functions in various types of organisations.
This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the role that publicrelations plays within the selected corporate organisations in the greater Durban area.

Gqamane, Z. (2010). The role of public relations: case study of selected corporate organisations within the greater Durban area. (Thesis). Durban University of Technology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10321/577

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Gqamane, Zukiswa. “The role of public relations: case study of selected corporate organisations within the greater Durban area.” 2010. Thesis, Durban University of Technology. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://hdl.handle.net/10321/577.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Gqamane Z. The role of public relations: case study of selected corporate organisations within the greater Durban area. [Internet] [Thesis]. Durban University of Technology; 2010. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10321/577.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Gqamane Z. The role of public relations: case study of selected corporate organisations within the greater Durban area. [Thesis]. Durban University of Technology; 2010. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10321/577

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

► A Likert Scale Attitudinal Survey was distributed to sworn, non-supervisor, police officers at six police departments in the state of California in a department…
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▼ A Likert Scale Attitudinal Survey was distributed to sworn, non-supervisor, police officers at six police departments in the state of California in a department roll-call setting to measure the counterbalance of power, trust, and influence between police managers and police union leaders. The relationship between a police management and police union leadership is critical component in the internal dynamics of the police organization. The results from this study provide evidence that although on average rank and file police officers tend to trust and attribute more power within police organizations to police unions rather than to police managers, an analysis of the survey responses by inferential statistics showed that these differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, an analysis of the survey results measuring the relationship between the specific leadership bases of power and trust revealed a statistically significant relationship between the perception of trust by rank and file officers and the use of specific bases of power by police managers and police union leaders. In conclusion, the implications for studies of leadership, power, and policing are discussed.

► Social media has radically altered today's media landscape, and presents publicrelations practitioners with new possibilities and opportunities to promote their companies. Social media enables…
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▼ Social media has radically altered today's media landscape, and presents publicrelations practitioners with new possibilities and opportunities to promote their companies. Social media enables publicrelations to observe in order to find out what people need; what content they are looking for; and how your company can help them. However, will engaging in online conversations give an organisation‘s consumers a voice? Past PR models illustrate how methods of communication was established and used in the past. However, the Grunig and Hunt two-way symmetrical model creates the possibility of two-way communication (dialogue) between consumer and organisation in which the power relations are equal. By applying Web 2.0 (social media) to these models, one can explore new ways of two-way communication. Finally by applying these elements to each other, a case study can be created to prove if social media can be used to create a dialogue between consumer and organization.

► The aim of this research is to establish the gaps between the potential role of the publicrelations practitioner within the CMA central bank context,…
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▼ The aim of this research is to establish the gaps between the potential role of the publicrelations practitioner within the CMA central bank context, and management’s perception and
expectation of that role. The study may then improve the overall status of publicrelations in
central banking. The research focuses specifically on the role of publicrelations practitioners
of central banks belonging to the CMA of Southern Africa.
The research question is: what are top managements’ perceptions and expectations of the
publicrelations practitioner’s role in CMA central banks, and how does this differ from the
potential role publicrelations practitioners can play within this context?
An empirical study was conducted in order to achieve the aim and meet the objectives of this
research study. Elements of both the positivist and anti-positivist paradigms are evident in
this research study. The research approach is, therefore, both quantitative and qualitative of
nature. The research design is an instrumental and intrinsic case study, which used
methodological triangulation. The study population consisted of the dominant coalition (top
management) of the central banks. Management committees at the central banks provided a
sampling frame for the study. Due to the small size of the population a census was taken
instead of a sample.
Fourteen self-administered questionnaires were returned, but the response rate was too low
to draw any solid conclusions from the data. In order to overcome this obstacle, one-on-one
in-depth interviews were conducted with the fourteen respondents who returned their
questionnaires.
According to the majority of interviewees, the strategic role of publicrelations practitioners is
the ideal role. The interviewees emphasised that the most senior publicrelations practitioner
plays an essential role in acting as the CMA central banks’ media liaison person. This
entails being the spokesperson of the bank, writing and disseminating information to the
media, ensuring the media complies with central bank protocols, as well as coordinating and
responding to media enquiries on a daily basis. The data suggests that, currently, publicrelations practitioners spend most of their time dealing with the media.
It is a concern, though, that many of the interviewees could not describe the current
‘satisfactory performance’ or behaviours of most senior publicrelations practitioners. Many
answered: “I don’t know”. The interviewees further commented that the publicrelations
position lacks status and authority at the central banks. However, indications are that this
situation is slowly improving with positions gaining increased status.
Despite limitations, the majority agreed that corporate communication is extremely important
to central banks in the light of continuously building and maintaining public confidence. The
data further suggested that publicrelations practitioners may increasingly find that the value
of their position rests in advising and serving on the Boards of central banks in the future.
According to…

Meintjes, H. (2011). The perceived and potential role of a public relations/corporate communication practitioner in central banks of the common monetary area
. (Thesis). Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Retrieved from http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1426

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Meintjes, Helene. “The perceived and potential role of a public relations/corporate communication practitioner in central banks of the common monetary area
.” 2011. Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Accessed June 07, 2020.
http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1426.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Meintjes, Helene. “The perceived and potential role of a public relations/corporate communication practitioner in central banks of the common monetary area
.” 2011. Web. 07 Jun 2020.

Vancouver:

Meintjes H. The perceived and potential role of a public relations/corporate communication practitioner in central banks of the common monetary area
. [Internet] [Thesis]. Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2011. [cited 2020 Jun 07].
Available from: http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1426.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Meintjes H. The perceived and potential role of a public relations/corporate communication practitioner in central banks of the common monetary area
. [Thesis]. Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2011. Available from: http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/1426

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

►Publicrelations (PR) is still a generally unexplored terrain in Botswana and many publicrelations practitioners (PRPs) are therefore experiencing challenges to either obtain worthwhile…
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▼Publicrelations (PR) is still a generally unexplored terrain in Botswana and many publicrelations practitioners (PRPs) are therefore experiencing challenges to either obtain worthwhile training and valid and applicable job descriptions or support from management where they are working. This is due to a large misunderstanding of what the profession entails. This career and study discipline certainly seems to be misconceived, misunderstood and misappropriated in many organisations and even in individual managers’ minds. Some of these misconceptions reflect that publicrelations is not sufficiently separated and distinguished from the other study fields and career descriptions in the discipline of communication studies, such as marketing, journalism, integrated marketing communications, corporate communication, branding, propaganda, publicity and advertising. This is a residual effect of earlier appointments of so-called publicrelations practitioners as the wine-and-dine attendees on the social circuit of a company who need to make a favourable impression of the business and the people on other stakeholders. There is no formal and professional publicrelations body in Botswana. The PublicRelations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) is in the process of establishing a local chapter, which could be the beginning of an answer to the misconceptions about the country’s publicrelations industry. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used to collect data, the questionnaires were self-administered and the researcher carried out interviews. The triangulation method was used as one of the strategies to validate the research results. The total population of the study amounted to 110 participants. Unfortunately not all participants completed and returned the questionnaires, but 89 have completed and returned them, while seven interviewees participated. As for the collection of data, the pilot questionnaires were carried out with 18 participants and the pilot findings formed part of the research findings. For sampling of the population, the purposive or judgmental sample was used, based on the fact that the sample had knowledge on the researched title.
Advisors/Committee Members: Pepler, Elsabe (advisor).

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Mokolwane ST. The training, employment and job effectiveness description of public relations practitioners in Botswana
. [Thesis]. Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2015. Available from: http://etd.cput.ac.za/handle/20.500.11838/2304

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Date original created: May 9, 2008 This file was last viewed in Adobe Reader 8.0

Although there has emerged in the past 10 to15 years…
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Date original created: May 9, 2008
This file was last viewed in Adobe Reader 8.0

Although there has emerged in the past 10 to15 years a significant body of
scholarly literature on the application of postmodern perspectives to the field of publicrelations, very little has been offered in the way of a roadmap to a practical, everyday
application of postmodernism to publicrelations. Toward that end, this thesis research
project offers a practical model for the application of postmodern ideas to the practice of
publicrelations.
To understand how postmodernism is emerging as a new perspective on the
practice of publicrelations, it is helpful to first consider currently established theories in
the field. Toward that end, a literature review is presented first examining Excellence
Theory as one current perspective on the field of publicrelations. Postmodernism is then
presented as an alternative view, and a theoretical framework is set forth synthesizing
PPR as it is presented in the literature. Rhetorical criticism is then employed to examine
the practical usefulness of what has, until now, been only a theoretical model of PPR.
The theoretical framework for PPR is used as a framework to examine two cases
of real-world publicrelations practice: 1) communications surrounding the American
Association on Mental Retardation?s decision to change its name to the American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and 2) environmental
discourse by petroleum giant BP. The result is a useful, useable model for the practice of
PPR that derives directly from theory and is directly applicable to industry.
The practical model for PPR bridges theory with practice to provide a roadmap
for the effective and ethical practice of publicrelations. Results of the analysis suggest
viii
that seven of the eight components of the theoretical framework for PPR can be carried
out in the practical model. The practical model distills those theoretical components into
the four categories: practical relativism, power relations, the dual role of practitioners,
and strategy.
The only component of the theoretical framework that was not retained for the
practical model of PPR is that of avoiding entering into relationships with stakeholders
with planned strategies for success. Just the opposite, this project concludes that strategic
planning is, in fact, essential for the practice of PPR. In addition, the practical model for
PPR calls on practitioners to use awareness of power relations to direct construction of
messages, and to develop understanding of communication contexts in order to engage in
discourse that is right and just.

► This thesis adds conceptual and practical value to the field of public affairs (PA). It connects scholarship from the fields of competencies, careers and knowledge,…
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▼ This thesis adds conceptual and practical value to the field of public affairs (PA). It connects scholarship from the fields of competencies, careers and knowledge, with the theory and practice of PA. The review of literature clearly demonstrated that a gap existed. This then provided a basis for a mixed methods study that enabled the creation of a model of contemporary UK PA practice; a PA knowledge architecture that supports practice; a conceptual PA competency typology on which a competency framework can be built; and an illustrative PA competency framework that reflects a twenty-first century profession. The study was guided by a critical realist worldview that suggests reality is complex and to understand any phenomena a broad a set of research instruments is necessary. The study, therefore, integrated qualitative and quantitative techniques. The qualitative study consisted of 31 interviews with PA practitioners and those involved in policy making that allowed the gathering of rich data mirroring the complexity of work and policy construction. A survey of 50 practitioners also informed the study by helping to illuminate relationships and added greater depth. The research also integrated content analysis by reflecting on four competency frameworks against best practice scholarship to provide practical insights. Findings suggest an evolving field that combines both cohesion and diversity that can be integrated into an embryonic professional identity that reflects a broad set of agreed competencies and knowledge. This is shaped by postmodernist trends in identity and knowledge construction rather than that which mirrors the traditional concept of what defines a profession. Limitations relate to its scope: a UK focus. Further studies in different cultural and political settings need to be encouraged and perhaps longitudinal studies developed to look at the longer-term impact of whether a competency approach can lead to improved performance.

Bowman, S. (2017). The knowledge, skills and competencies for effective public affairs practice : a UK study. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of West London. Retrieved from https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/3839/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.723180

Bowman S. The knowledge, skills and competencies for effective public affairs practice : a UK study. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of West London; 2017. Available from: https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/3839/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.723180